Pepper makes a mistake (Chapter 1 out of ?)
by Pepperony Shipper
Summary: Things were messed up, Tony came back from a mission, wanting to do something that he has been thinking about for a long time but she was jumpy and things when from bad to worst.
1. Chapter 1

Pepper stirred in her bed, sitting up and staring at the alarm clock on her bedside table. It was rare when she heard a bump in the night and actually acted on it, but this time, she could literally hear her front apartment door creak open. She bit down on the inside of her lip, moving open the door of her bedroom, looking out at the large living space. It was pitch black, but she could make out the image of her long-time boss Tony Stark. "Tony.. what are you doing here?" She asked, voice still soft from sleep, wearing only her silk night gown.

"Ehm... I brought supper.." Tony said, raising a bag of food from that Italian place that Pepper likes, "I just returned from a mission and I.. Ehm.." he mumbled, could make words out of a sudden, he shook his head and ruffled his hair, "Sit?" he said, walking from the picked door over to the couch and then inviting himself onto the couch

"Right, sure." Pepper said, understanding his mumble. She pulled a robe from behind her bedroom door, slipping in on. She looked to the clock; 1:30 in the morning. It must have been on hell of a mission. "That's sweet of you." She said, smiling lightly, fixing her slight case of bed head.

Tony sat down carefully, sitting the food into her coffee table and then cradling her broken arm with another, his face was filled with bruises and so was every other part of his body but for now, the dim lighting and him being fully dressed, these were not information that Pepper would have gotten, he yawned slightly before smiling at her, "So.. I almost died." he said softly,

"Where to this time?" Pepper asked, studying him and his sore, stiff motions. She looked over at the dinner, the smell tempting her even though it was early in the morning. It was her favorite food, after all.

"Was in China but then the fight was brought all the way to Sahara.." Tony mumbled, aching abit as he reached over to pick up the bag of food, holding it out to her, "Its okay then, I will just go, you have good night, pep." he said quickly, from what he observed, she was not quite interested in what he was going to say so his move was to just shut up and run.

Pepper was confused at his promptness. If he came to visit her, why would he just up and leave once they started talking? Something she said, maybe. She pursed her lips for a moment, looking up at him. "Are you sure you're alright? I mean, aside from the almost dying bit..." She said, standing up so she was beside him, turning on another light. She had really thought he was being dramatic, but he was really beat up. "Let me clean you up, at least.."

Tony smiled up at her, his hands knotted together with a sigh, shaking his head slowly before standing up, he was scared of rejection, had enough of it when he was young, dont need any of that from Pepper and that was the main reason why he was never in relationships. his left arm held onto his right, kissing her cheek politely before forcing a smile, "I won't disturb you then, see you some time then." he murmured, starting his way out to the door with his head held low, scoling himself for being useless inside his head

Tony smiled up at her, his hands knotted together with a sigh, shaking his head slowly before standing up, he was scared of rejection, had enough of it when he was young, dont need any of that from Pepper and that was the main reason why he was never in relationships. his left arm held onto his right, kissing her cheek politely before forcing a smile, "I won't disturb you then, see you some time then." he murmured, starting his way out to the door with his head held low, scoling himself for being useless inside his head

Pepper smiled half-heartedly when he kissed her cheek, watching him move out of her apartment. "I'll see you in the morning, like I always do.." She said, following him to the door if he was insistent on leaving. Pepper, being the rational woman she was, didn't think he should leave. But he seemed rather set on it. "Be safe, alright?" She said, looking up at him before he turned to go.

"Okay." Tony said softly, sighing and then shaking his head, "Enjoy the meal." he said before turning his back on her and then leaving, driving himself to the hospital to get the arm fixed up, stupid idea of Natasha, saying that girls would go soft when they see a guy hurt. Pepper didn't seem to buy it at all. He walked into the hospital expecting a simple cast and off he go but no, he was given the full body check reluctantly, orders from the great SHEILD but it turned out to be a good thing, they found a blood clot on his calve, if found any later the percentage of him being dead because of that clot was was shot into surgery immediately.

Pepper woke up to the sound of a text, leaving the food untouched on her coffee table. She rubbed her eyes, happy it was a bit of a more reasonable hour, and grabbed her phone from her bedside table. The message was from Steve, notifying her of Tony's condition. She stared in disbelief, putting on some actual clothing and jogging down the endless flights of steps down to the ground floor. Fifteen minutes later, she was finally at the hospital, having broke a few traffic laws to make it in time. Not only did she feel like a huge jerk for underestimating his injuries, but she was a bad friend. And now he may die. She couldn't shake the frantic feeling as she waited alone, as the rest of the team was already allowed inside.

Surgery went well, broken arm was a blessing that brought him to the hospital, that clot could have shot into his heart and clot up his blood flow during his sleep if he never made it to the hospital. He woke up and was surrounded by the team who were looking at him like a robot from the other century, dressed in a hospital pj and a cast wrapped around his right arm, he looked around the room and sighed at the no show of Pepper. "Guys, would you guys mind leaving me alone?" he requested to the team, they were too loud for his tired liking and really, at that moment after that short moment with Pepper, he did not want to be close

The team was shocked but did as he said. Steve walked out first and saw Pepper sitting alone along the hallway, his huge hand gently on her shoulder giving her a pat, "Why are you so upset like Tony?" he asked softly like his normal self,


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is chapter two, I am so sorry for the long ass wait.. Well, here goes nothing, hope you like it! Give me reviews stuffs so that I know how are things going.**

Pepper looked up the bigger man, nodding a little, biting down on her lower lip, playing with her fingers, sighing before looking into the blond man's eyes, "I.. He came to me, before he got here.. I think he wanted to confess and I didn't treat him seriously, I just brushed him off.." she murmured, tears streaming down her cheeks, "I.." she murmured guiltily, unable to continue, she just shuts her eyes and curled her face into her knees.  
Steve looked at the red head, not knowing how to comfort her, he rested a gentle hand on her back, rubbing it softly, "Pepper.. You do know that he is still alive right? You can go see him, give him another chance, yourself too." He pointed out.  
Pepper shook her head quickly, looking at him with fearful eyes, "I don't deserve another chance, I am no good for him.. Please tell him that I am sorry.." she said softly before getting up, wiping her tears off her cheeks, shuffling down the long hallway of the hospital towards the exit.  
Steve looked shocked, he really expected her to go in and give him another chance, her stood up and brought his jaw back into place, walking back into Tony's room quietly, going to sit on the chair by his bedside, looking at him with pitiful eyes.  
Tony looked over at Steve with tired eyes, not being able to read his expression, he sighed a little, "She is not here?" he asked, sadly, ruffling his messy hair, looking all worn out from the operation and the mission that cost it.  
Steve looked at him and shook his head, disagreeing with his statement, "She was here but she left.. Because.. She just says that she is sorry." He made it short, wanting to make it easy for Tony.  
But Tony didn't think of it as that way, he thought that Steve was hiding something from him, he glared over at the blond man, "What exactly happened?" he growled, wanting to have the answer there and then.  
-

Pepper was packing up, she wanted to leave this place for good and to never be back to have to face Tony again, she was so so guilty for everything that she has done.. That man was trying to confess for god sake, Pepper! Pepper… This name, she will never be able to use anymore, she could still remember how she used to hate him for calling her Pepper. But now.. It was something she almost couldn't live without.. As she drove home, things flashed in her mind, little moments in her life that she had shared with this man, this man that she thought she only had eye candy for.. Which later she thought it was a crush but, after that Afghanisthan incident, she was sure to herself that she loves him but she knew for herself that he would never like her back.. He is a playboy for god sakes! There will never be a happily ever after with him.. Never. She snapped out of it and walked into the little cottage home that she rented near his mansion, this was the last time she would be here.  
Walking into her room she opened the closet doors and pulled out her suitcase, she had a rough idea where she was heading to, France.. There was a company that had offered her a job with them years ago, that year, she never thought of leaving Stark Industries, that job was basically her life.. But now, she has done way too much damage her for her to even think about staying.. She finished packing whatever she needed with three suitcases and two hours later, she was ready to leave this place for good.  
Loading her trunk with her suitcases, she started the engine and headed for the airport without a bye to the man she loved, the man she devoted the last 5 years of her life to, that was it, she told herself.  
-

Tony interegated the Captain and found out whatever Pepper told him, "She is leaving, she is leaving for good, I ruined all this.. I shouldn't have spoken.." he said, his tone changing quickly from an enraged one to a soft and mellow one, like he was hurt.. Not like, he was, he was truly hurt..  
Steve sighed and left the man alone to rest, giving him a pat on his arm and a little smile, "You will be fine, Pepper really did like you, I could tell, she might be back.." he said unsurely, he got up and when back home to Peggy.  
Leaving Tony to think about the woman he likes.. If Steve was speaking of the true and that she likes him, why did she ignore his somewhat confession towards her? That didn't make sense.. He sighed when his genius brain got to the answer, I am a playboy, that's it.. Pepper has never had anyone to lean on, no stable place for her to stay, her family was a wreck. She needed security and love and she thought that he couldn't give it to her because he is a playboy that all girls wants.. He sighed and shut his eyes, wanting to take break from all this shit.


End file.
